Portable foldable exercise cot

ABSTRACT

A safer, stronger, more portable exercise device of the type supporting a jackknife motion cot on an M-shaped frame articulated at the points of the M. A novel articulated joint mechanism in the support frame, particularly at the superior points of the M, formed by two adjacent superior arms of the Mshaped frame being pivotally pinned together and having a cap stop member enclosing the pivot joint, thereby strengthening the joints, makes the device safer to operate, and permits it to be folded up into a more compact space.

Unite States Inventor James IE. Farmer 4542 N. 18 Ave, Phoenix, Ariz.@5015 Appl No. 352,765 Filed Aug. 2S, 1969 Patented Aug. 3, 1971PORTABLE, FOLDABLE EXERCISE CDT 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figs.

U.S. C11 272/58, 5/154. 287/101, 297/316 11m. Cl A63b 23/02 Field ofSearch 272/58;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,074,102 3/1937 Christy287/14 3,491,998 1/1970 Lyon 272/58 Primary Examiner-Richard C. PinkhamAssistant ExaminerRichard Dror Attorney-Drummond. Cahill and PhillipsABSTRACT: A safer, stronger, more portable exercise device of the typesupporting a jackknife motion cot on an M-shaped frame articulated atthe points of the M. A novel articulated joint mechanism in the supportframe, particularly at the superior points of the M, formed by twoadjacent superior arms of the M-shaped frame being pivotally pinnedtogether and having a cap stop member enclosing the pivot joint, therebystrengthening the joints, makes the device safer to operate, and permitsit to be folded up into a more compact space.

Patented Aug. 3, 1971 3,596,906

INVENTOR.

JAMES E. PARMER ATTORNEYS Remus.r tiisiitssisswsasu This inventionpertains to improvement in portable exercise devices.

More specifically, the invention relates to improvements in collapsiblesupport frames for portable exercise devices.

Prior art devices, for example, the device shown in US. Pat. No.213,889, issued Apr. 22, I969, generally consist of a cot, hinged in themiddle to permit a two direction jackknife motion, a support frame andmeans for suspending the cot from the support frame. The support frameis hinged in various places so that it can be folded up in a morecompact shape.

Among the problems in the devices known to the prior art is the problemof providing portability and compactness in an exercise device. This hasbeen met with limited degrees of success in various ways, but all ateither some sacrifice of strength or safety or of portability. In onedevice of the prior art, a dangerous scissors effect is created by theaction of articulated joints. Another problem of the prior art is thatportions of a tubular fitting have to be cutaway in order to provide areceptacle for a leg segment of the M-shaped support, and the pivot pinshave to be set extremely close to the end of a straight member orsegment of the M-shaped support device. Both of these expedienciesweaken the support.

Compactness is a highly desirable quality in such devices. Whenassembled for use these devices are bulky and space consuming. It is,therefore, necessary to disassemble them for storage and shipment ormake them foldable to achieve compactness. The space taken by an articlepackaged for shipment is a prime factor in the cost of shipping it andstoring it. If a device can be folded to a compact size, there is asaving in the time and expense involved in assembling and disassemblingthe device for storage and shipment. This quality of compactness isimportant not only to the manufacturer, but also to the middleman andretailer of the device and to the members of the public who ultimatelyuse the device.

Exercise devices are intended for rugged use and it is thereforeimportant to build as much strength and ruggedness into the device aspossible.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide improvementsin known exercise devices which will make the articulated joints of theseparate members more rugged and durable.

It is a further object of this invention to provide improvements in thearticulated joints of the support member which make the device safer tohandle and to operate.

It is further an object of this invention to render such prior artexercise device more compact and more portable.

These and other, further, and more specific objects and advantages ofthe present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the artfrom the following detailed description of the invention taken inconjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view of the exercise device in one position ofuse.

FIG. 2 is a lateral view in section of one of the cap members and aperspective view of the tubular segments of the M- shaped support memberand pivot pin within the cap member.

FIG. 3 is a view, rotated 90 from the view of FIG. 2, of the same capmember, tubular segments and pivot pin, with the cap member in section.

Briefly, in accordance with my invention I provide improve ments inknown exercise devices which include a cot member which has longitudinalside frame members having central elbows articulated to permit the endsof the cot to collapse inwardly toward each other creating a jackknifingmotion in both an up and down direction. The cot is supported by afoldable cot support frame which, when extended, includes a longitudinalM-shaped tubular member along each side of the cot. Each M-shaped memberis comprised of four tubular segments connected by means of pivot pinspassing through the adjacent ends which form the points of the M. Thelongitudinal side members of the cot and the two M-shaped tubularmembers of the cot support frame are tied together by rigid transversemembers. These rigid transverse members also serve as means ofmaintaining the proper spatial relationship between the sides of the cotand the sides of the cot-support frame.

My invention is an improvement to the articulated joints of the M-shapedcot support member, wherein I have provided a cap member stop meanshaving sidewalls and end walls. The cap members enclose the ends of thetubular segments which are held together by pivot pins joumaled in thesidewalls of the cap member and the sides of the tubular segments. Theend walls of the cap members diverge outwardly to define the limits ofthe maximum desired angular displacement of the tubular segments formingthe M. Thus, the end walls define stops limiting the angulardisplacement of the joints of the M.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of theexercise device in which a presently preferred embodiment of theinvention, chosen for purposes of illustration, is depicted. The cotframe member 1 is constructed of chrome plated tubular steel, Thelongitudinal side members are pivotally connected by means of a pivotpin 16 which joins the flattened ends 3 of the two U-shaped tubularpieces, each of which forms the end member 14 and one-half of each ofthe two longitudinal side members 15.

Canvas 5 is stretched over the side 115 and end frame members.Semicircular holes are cut in the canvas at the central elbows 17 topermit freedom of movement at these points. Straps 6 made of chromeplated steel are provided as means for the suspension of the cot 1 upona cot support member 2. The two ends of each strap 6 are pivotallyattached to the cot l and the cot support member 2. The cot supportmember is constructed of chrome plated tubular steel which forms an M-shaped member along each side of the cot. Each M-shaped tubular member 2is articulated at the points of the M. The superior points 4 of the Mare formed by the joinder of the adjacent ends of any two segments 7 and8 or 9 and 10 of the M- shaped tubular member 2 by means of a pivot pin11 which holds the ends of said segments in side by side relationship,the pin llll lying on a transverse axis relative to the length of thedevice. This same pin 11 is also journaled in the sidewalls 18 of thecap member l3. The cap member 13 is also made of chrome plated steel. Inthe presently preferred embodiment of my invention the end walls l9 ofthe cap member diverge outwardly at an angle of 30 from the vertical.The restraining influence of the end walls 19 of the cap member 13 serveas a stop means which limits the angular displacement of the segments 7,8, 9, 10 around the vertex of the angle formed by the superior points ofthe M.

The inferior points of the M are articulated by means of a metal tab l2welded on to the shank of the member 9 at a suitable distance above thebottom of the segment 9. The segment 3 is pivotally connected at itslower end by means of a pin journaled through the tab 12 and the sidesof the segment Having fully described the presently preferred embodimentof my invention, I CLAIM;

ii. In a portable exercise device, comprising:

a cot having longitudinal side members with central elbows permittingthe ends of said cot to collapse inwardly toward each other,

a foldable cot-support frame which, when extended, in-

cludes a longitudinal M-shaped tubular member along each side of saidcot, each said M-slhaped member includmg four tubular segments connectedby means of pivot pins passing through adjacent ends thereof, and

stop means limiting the maximum angular displacement of said tubularsegments about said pivot pins, to retain said segments to form saidM-shaped member,

the improvements whereby the strength and safety of said device areincreased without loss of portability, said improvements comprising:

lar segments to define stops limiting said displacement to said desiredmaximum angle, the width of said cap member being such that the adjacentends of said segments are positioned therewithin in side-by-siderelation.

1. In a portable exercise device, comprising: a cot having longitudinalside members with central elbows permitting the ends of said cot tocollapse inwardly toward each other, a foldable cot-support frame which,when extended, includes a longitudinal M-shaped tubular member alongeach side of said cot, each said M-shaped member including four tubularsegments connected by means of pivot pins passing through adjacent endsthereof, and stop means limiting the maximum angular displacement ofsaid tubular segments about said pivot pins, to retain said segments toform said M-shaped member, the improvements whereby the strength andsafety of said device are increased without loss of portability, saidimprovements comprising: cap member stop means having sidewalls and endwalls, said cap member enclosing the pivotally connected tubularsegments with said pivot pin journaled in said sidewalls, the end wallsof said cap member diverging outwardly at the maximum desired angulardisplacement of said tubular segments to define stops limiting saiddisplacement to said desired maximum angle, the width of said cap memberbeing such that the adjacent ends of said segments are positionedtherewithin in side-by-side relation.